"Immortal Hulk #42" Comic Review

The recent events in the Hulk's life have had a ripple effect on all those around him. Immortal Hulk #42 takes a look at the changing landscape for Gamma Flight, Jackie McGee, and the Leader as they all figure out their next steps in this gamma-irradiated space they've found themselves in.

Each sequence in this issue is handled by a different artist. I'm not a fan of swapping out artists in the middle of an issue, however the styles used by Alex Lins, Adam Gorham, Rachael Stott, and regular series artist Joe Bennett (with inker Ruy Jose), blend well together. There is a noticeable change when we shift from one to another, but that coincides with a change in scene, character, and location, so it works.

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Writer Al Ewing packs a tremendous amount of exposition in Immortal Hulk #42, moving the supporting characters ahead in their arcs by leaps and bounds. While the Green Goliath takes a back seat in this issue, his presence is still very much felt, especially with the Leader sequences. The villain has been pulling the strings in the shadows for some time and despite his great intelligence, still has a lot to learn about what makes the Hulk tick.

Of course, it wouldn't be an issue of Immortal Hulk without some body horror. That's where the Leader pages come into play. The once scrawny villain with a big brain is now a weird crab creature with a big brain, torturing Bruce Banner with all kinds of green tentacles. He's finding out what happens when you play with fire, or in this case, with gamma radiation. There's something dark and terrifying in this below place.

Colorist Chris O'Halloran makes the gamma pop on the page with a bright green hue. It's simultaneously interesting and deadly. This contrasts well with the dreary locale that the Leader has found himself in as well as the world above.

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Bennett and Jose are joined by colorist Paul Mounts for the closing segment. I won't go into detail on that, as there's a nice cliffhanger, however this creative team works incredibly well together and it shows in even this small dose.

Another area that stands out is the status of Gamma Flight, the group assembled to handle the Hulk and the other gamma heroes, which has failed miserably as of late. Henry Gyrich has taken over and he's an absolute slimeball. Letterer Cory Petit bolds quite a few words in the character's speech, showing an emphasis on many words. This conveys a condescending tone that makes me hate him even more. Of interest as well is Doc Samson, now in the body of Sasquatch who is a shell of his former self. The man has stared into the abyss and that experience changed him.

Immortal Hulk continues to fire on all cylinders. This issue catches us up with the supporting characters, provides new context and new possibilities as this riveting comic keeps going. It's as unpredictable as ever, taking us into uncharted territory. This comic should be on everyone's pull list.